(KPL/VNA) – The Foreign Ministry of Japan on April 16 announced its 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook, which clarifies the country's orientations to expand relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in general and Vietnam in particular.

The book highlighted that Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi has introduced the new version of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative (FOIP) announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in March 2023, emphasysing four priority areas for cooperation, namely maritime cooperation, connectivity, sustainable development goals (SDG) implementation, and economic connection.

At the ASEAN Summit in September 2023, Japan announced the Japan – ASEAN Comprehensive Connectivity Initiative to further expand the aspects in which the two sides can connect. On that basis, at the Japan-ASEAN Special Summit in December 2023, the two sides outlined a new vision of cooperation and plans to implement a series of large-scale cooperative activities.

Regarding the Vietnam-Japan relations, the Bluebook noted that the two sides conducted many high-level exchange activities with many visits by leaders of the two countries to each other on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

A highlight of the activities is the upgrade of the bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World in November 2023, it said.

Leaders of the two sides agreed to promote cooperation the field of security through defence exchanges, transfer of defence technology and equipment, official security assistance (OSA), while strengthening collaboration in maritime security and partnership in digital transformation and green development, supporting the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) Initiative, and enhancing supply chain resilience through supporting industry development and expand the investment environment.

KPL